6th lunar month of 1843: Danjűr˘ plays for the first and last time the role of the wicked priest Narukami
in the drama "Mayoi no Kumoiro ni Narukami", which is staged at the Kawarazakiza.
His stage partner in the role of Princess Taema is Onoe Eizabur˘ III.

8th lunar month of 1854: a few days after his triumphant arrival in ďsaka, where he is supposed to perform together with his father, Danjűr˘ commits suicide in his inn.

Comments:

"Like his father, Ichikawa Danjűr˘ VIII excelled in the aragoto ('rough-stuff') roles for which the
Ichikawa lineage was famous. But as well as audacious young heroes,
he was also extremely successful in the various roles of young lover (nimaime).
Together with his good looks, this made him especially popular with female fans.
When he played Sukeroku, in which he had to immerse himself in a barrel of water,
the water was subsequently sold at exorbitant cost to avid admirers.
Even when he had to appear as Yosabur˘ with a scarred face, pastry shops sold beanpaste
buns with cracked outer skins called 'Yosabur˘ buns, which were devoured by the actor's
fans. Despite his success, or even because of it, he was plagued by personal problems,
perhaps exacerbated by his early achievements and the jealousy this caused among older
actors. In 1854, during a tour of performances in ďsaka with his father,
he was found in his inn with his wrists slashed. He was suffering from massive debts,
caused by his lifestyle, which emulated the excesses of his father." (from the The Fitzwilliam Museum Website)

Ichikawa Danjűr˘ VIII playing the role of Takeda Katsuyori in the drama "Honch˘ Nijűshik˘"